The present invention relates to steering mechanisms for outboard motors, and specifically to a steering mechanism which is designed to minimize the transmission of engine vibrations through the tiller arm to the operator.
Conventional outboard motors provide a direct structural connection between the pivoting engine portion and the tiller arm in order to make the steering as responsive as possible. However, an undesirable side effect of this direct connection is that the tiller arm receives and transmits engine vibrations to the operator. The length of the tiller arm has the tendency to magnify this vibration, so that the free or gripped end of the tiller arm is prone to considerable shaking. This vibration is irritating and fatiguing to the operator, and makes boating less pleasant.
One prior attempt at minimizing the transmission of engine vibrations through to the tiller arm involves the insertion of rubber pads in the tiller arm which surround a horizontally oriented coupling pin secured between the engine motor mount bracket and the tiller arm. In another device, the tiller arm is mounted to the engine through a bracket including a vertically oriented pivot bolt, and is also provided with a coiled shock absorbing spring on either side of the bolt. Other attempts at reducing transmitted engine vibrations involve the use of resilient or rubberized pads, bushings, and/or engine mounts. The above-identified prior devices have not achieved optimum minimization of the transmission of engine vibrations.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for minimizing the transmission of outboard engine vibrations to the tiller arm.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vibration absorbing mechanism for an outboard motor in which the vibrations are absorbed by the steering linkage without sacrificing precise steering control.